Reports

The audit examined whether Berkshire Community College accurately recorded and reported the institutional portion of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. The audit also reviewed if had required approval for all institutional-portion disbursements from HEERF I and HEERF II grants. The audit examined the period of March 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.

BOSTON – A former Massachusetts resident has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to filing fraudulent applications to obtain $2.5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

BOSTON – A Hyde Park man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with his alleged use of a stolen identity to fraudulently obtain pandemic relief funds and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, previously known as Food Stamps.

BOSTON – A Wenham man pleaded guilty today in connection with a scheme to obtain Paycheck Protection Program funds made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act by submitting false applications.

BOSTON – A Brockton man was charged on July 21, 2022 in connection with a scheme to submit false applications to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) funds through the Small Business Administration (SBA) which were made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

BOSTON – The owner of a Massachusetts-based food truck business has been arrested and charged in connection with allegedly filing fraudulent loan applications in order to obtain $1.5 million in pandemic relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.

BOSTON – A Wenham man was charged today in connection with a scheme to obtain Paycheck Protection Program funds made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act by submitting false applications.

In this performance audit, we examined the reports Massachusetts Sheriffs' Association (MSA) collected from sheriffs’ offices, and we reviewed MSA’s policies and procedures as well as its budgetary language requirements. The audit found that MSA did not ensure the consistency and accuracy of cost-per-inmate reports and that MSA did not establish policies and procedures for coordinating and standardizing services and programs at the sheriffs’ offices.

The audit found that Department of Higher Education (DHE) did not ensure that all employees who were responsible for managing and administering Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funding completed annual cybersecurity awareness training. The audit also found that DHE did not meet with the Commonwealth Commitment Advisory Board (CCAB) to review the MassTransfer Commonwealth Commitment Program and did not provide reports or communications to the Board of Higher Education regarding CCAB’s review of the MassTransfer Commonwealth Commitment Program.

BOSTON – The former owner of a massage parlor was sentenced yesterday in connection with filing for and obtaining fraudulent pandemic-related loans for her illicit business where workers engaged in commercial sex acts with customers.